Midnight
by WritingForHugs
Summary: The New Year brings a new start for Katniss and Peeta.


Happy New Year guys! :D

* * *

Peeta-

_Jesus Christ._

Katniss frowned at the text. It was 3 am and she was in the middle of watching the hour-long program that summarised the best parts of 2013. She grimaced at Miley Cyrus' performance at the VMAs and typed out a reply to Peeta.

_What's wrong?_

His reply was almost immediate.

Peeta-

_Is it possible to die from excessive vomiting?_

Katniss cringed. She _defiantly _didn't want to be talking to a vomiting, drunk Peeta. She hoped that he didn't want her to pick him up from the party he had attended at Delly Cartwright's house. Katniss had been invited – Delly had thrust an invitation in her direction with an excited squeal of 'it'll be great Kitty! You have to come!' – and she had declined later that day.

Truth be told, she didn't actually want to spend the last hours of the year and the first hours of the new one surrounded by drunken people who would be either having sex, crying, laughing, drinking more, or vomiting in the nearest toilet. Delly was nice but she was too much especially when she was drunk. And Katniss was particularly fond of the people Delly usually invited to her parties. Peeta had been invited however and had almost convinced Katniss to join him. He had to go since Delly was his friend.

"Katniss come on," he had pleaded. "I don't want to spend New Year's without you! We won't be able to countdown together and toast the arrival of 2014!"

"I'm not going," she had said stubbornly.

"Why?"

"Because I'll get wasted and make a fool of myself or I'll end up crying or holding someone's hair while they're sick for two hours! I don't really know anyone anyway!"

"That's why you should come! Make some new friends for the new year."

"I'm fine. I'll hang out with Madge."

"Madge's coming."

"Oh."

"Everyone's going, Kat. Not just the people Delly invited. Please, please, _please _come to the party with me."

"No. If I change my mind I'll tell you."

She did change her mind when she saw the pictures that filled her Facebook and Twitter feeds. And Peeta's texts that described some hilarious scene at the party made her feel isolated and pretty shitty. Peeta called her for the countdown and she held her cell at an arm's length because the screams and shouts and laughter that she could hear deafened her. Peeta counted down with an enthusiastic amount of joy that she just couldn't conjure up. Her exclamation of 'Happy New Year!' was lacklustre at best. Prim was at a sleepover and didn't have a phone yet, and Katniss hadn't yet received a reply to her New Year message that she sent to her mother, who was working the night shift at the hospital.

Damnit. Everyone was having more fun that she was. Even Buttercup had abandoned her. And now she was sitting on her bed in front of the TV with an empty packet of Cheetos and a can of Budweiser long finished.

It was difficult not to feel like she was missing out.

_TMI, Peeta. I don't want to know if you're vomiting. _

Peeta-

_Lol no Delly's vomiting I've only had three cups of some shitty drink someone bought over. She won't stop throwing up though._

Katniss fought the smirk that threatened to spill over.

_Only if she chokes on it. Have you been holding her hair back for her?_

Peeta-

_Only because none of her friends would do it. I'm gonna palm her off to someone else ASAP so I can leave. You were right. This is a shitty party._

Katniss grinned.

_I left 2013 being right, and I'm starting 2014 being right. I told you so._

Peeta-

_Yes okay don't rub it in._

_I'm not rubbing it in. I'm just saying you should've listened._

Peeta-

_Okay Glimmer's taking care of her now. Where are you?_

Katniss stretched out leisurely and knocked the remote control of the bed. She yawned loudly and cracked her knuckles.

_In bed with a beer and chips ;)_

Peeta-

_Could you come get me? _

Katniss groaned at this. Peeta messaged her again.

Peeta-

_Please Kat 3 Pretty please with a cherry on top. I wanna hang out with you instead. It smells like bodies and vomit and cheap ass alcohol over here. 3 3 3_

The excessive amount of hearts in the message make her heart clench even though she knows he's just messing around. _It smells like Cheetos over here, _she replies, standing and throwing the empty packet and can in the trash.

She's obviously going to come and get him. He would do the same for her. He _has _done the same for her. They look out for each other 24/7. That's how it's always been. She grabs a pack of mints and throws a handful into her mouth to freshen up and pulls on the hoodie Peeta left behind a couple of days ago. It's too big on her small frame and the sleeves hang way past her hands, but it's comfy and smells like him.

She bets it smells like too-strong aftershave at Delly's house. Unlike the rest of the male population at school, Peeta seems to actually know when to stop with the aftershave. She can stand next to him without passing out from the noxious fumes guys like Marvel and Cato emit.

Peeta probably has an unfair advantage because he works at a bakery and therefore always smells like fresh bread and pastries too, but she doesn't mention that. His scent comforts her. When they fall asleep side my side she more than often wakes with his nose buried in her hair and her face resting on his chest. They're strictly friends – she knows that – but that doesn't mean she doesn't notice the way both of their cheeks heat up when they laugh off jokes from other people about how they're practically dating.

Peeta-

_I don't care. I just want to spend the night with you. _

She types out her reply as she pulls on her worn Converse and hops into her car.

_I'll be there in five minutes. Don't get you apron in a twist._

Revellers of varying drunkenness staggered around the front porch of Delly's mansion-like house when Katniss drove up the street. She could hear the _thump thump_ of music from inside. Peeta sat on the sidewalk outside with his head in his hands. She beeped her horn to get his attention and waved when he saw her.

"Thank God," he breathed when he slid into the seat beside her. "I was afraid someone was going to force me back inside to play beer pong or something."

"How wild is it?" she asked as she drove carefully down the street as to not run anyone over. That _wouldn't_ be a good way to start the year.

"Someone threw Delly's dog into the poll… uh… a painting was like ripped off the wall… I'm pretty sure someone caught Madge and Gale making out in Delly's little brother's room…"

"Wait, _what_?" Katniss gasped, slamming her foot on the brakes for a second before remembering that she has to keep driving. "Gale didn't tell me he was coming!"

"Yeah," Peeta chuckled. "Delly didn't either. He just showed up out of the blue with Finnick and Darius and I swear," Peeta rolls the window down to let in some air. "I swear Delly was about to have an orgasm when she saw three of the most sought over guys in town walk through her door."

Katniss is silent. She's fine with Gale going to the party (pissed that he didn't tell her) but its Peeta's use of the word _orgasm _that makes her face catch fire. She swallows deeply. Why she's getting so embarrassed of a word, she doesn't know. Peeta is a free-for-all, happy-go-lucky kind of guy. He's comfortable with pretty much everything and confidence rolls off him, though not in the obnoxious jerk kind of way. He's comfortable in his own skin and focuses on others rather than himself.

That's why he immediately picks up on her discomfort.

"What?" he asks as Katniss parks outside her house. She shakes her head. "What is it?" Peeta persists, following her into the house.

"Nothing," she shrugs, dumping her keys on the table and pulling a bottle of water out from the fridge to take upstairs. "You want something to eat?"

"No, thanks," Peeta frowns, following her with the grace and silence of an elephant up the stairs and into her bedroom. "And obviously it's something,"

Katniss switches her bedside lamp on and pulls her curtains shut. She can sense Peeta's eyes on her.

"Wait, are you pissed that Madge and Gale hooked up? Do you like Gale?"

"No!" Katniss laughs. "He's like a brother, trust me."

"Do you like Madge?"

"No, Peeta."

"What is it then?"

"Nothing, seriously!" Katniss says. She climbs onto her bed. Peeta just stands there by the closed door and frowns. Everything is quiet for a moment. Katniss looks up at Peeta to ask him if he's going to sit down when he speaks.

"Orgasm," he says loudly, watching her with narrowed eyes. She cringes.

"Excuse me?"

"Orgasm!" he repeats, throwing his hands into the air. "Orgasm, Kat! Orgasm!"

"What are you doing?" she asks, her eyes wide. Peeta laughs.

"That's why you turned red! Because I said orgasm!"

"I didn't turn red, and I don't care if you say… _that_."

"God, you're so pure." Peeta says with a shake of his head. Katniss scowls.

"What do you mean by that?" she says, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It's kind of cute, actually."

"What is?" Katniss exclaims.

"That you get uncomfortable around words like that."

"I do not. And I'm not pure."

"You are!"

"I am not."

"Kat, it's not a bad thing, okay?" Peeta climbs onto her bed next to her and smirks, bumping his shoulder against hers in a reassuring gesture. Katniss laughs a little, allowing herself to relax and release the tension that's built up in her body.

"Orgasm." Peeta whispers again. Katniss shoves him off her bed and he hits the floorboard below with a resounding and satisfying '_oof'._

"Fuck you, Peeta," she snaps. She hears a groan from the floor and snorts. "Stop milking it. I barely pushed you."

"No, fuck, Katniss," Peeta says, pain evident in his voice. "Something's wrong with my shoulder."

"Shit, Peeta," Katniss says, her heart dropping into her stomach. She moves to the edge of the bed to reach him. "I'm sorry."

"I need help down here please," Peeta says softly, cradling his shoulder and furrowing his brow. Katniss swallows. _Fuck. _

"Do you think you need an ambulance?" she ask worriedly.

"I don't know but I do need you to come here," Peeta says, beckoning her close to him with his free hand. She reaches out to take his hand and squeeze it but he yanks her forward.

"What the-" she cries as she flies forward and collides with him, her body lying on top of his.

"I got you," Peeta laughs, wrapping his arms around her so she can't move.

"Oh my God, Peeta!" Katniss exclaims, wiggling in his arms. "I thought you'd seriously hurt yourself you fucking idiot!"

"I hurt myself? You pushed me off the bed!" Peeta laughs in reply. Katniss glares at him.

"What do you want?" she asks, hyper-aware of the fact that she's mere inches from his face and that his hips are parallel to hers. If one of them was to so much as shift a little…

"I want you to look me in the eyes," Peeta instructs with a mischievous grin. Katniss does as she's asked, albeit stubbornly. "And not blush when I say orgasm."

"Shut up and let me go!" Katniss says, worming her way out of his arms and moving away before he can grab her. Her face is the colour of a tomato, she's sure.

"Katniss, what's wrong with that word?" Peeta asks, climbing to his feet.

"There's nothing _wrong _with it," Katniss says. "It's because you're my best friend and it's just weird for you to say stuff like that to my face."

"You think friends don't talk to each other about stuff like that?"

"No."

"They do."

"We don't."

"Why?"

"Because it's weird." Katniss says again, struggling to come up with a good response.

It's not like she can just come and say that she's fancied Peeta for years now. It's not like she can just blurt out that she'd imagined kissing Peeta at midnight at Delly's party. He doesn't feel that way and she fears that their friendship would be ruined if she ever made any signals that her feelings ran deeper than just friendship.

"I won't say it again if you feel uncomfortable, okay?" Peeta says, moving to sit beside her again. "Just don't push me off the bed again, because that did hurt."

"Fine." Katniss sticks her bottom lip out.

"Happy New Year, Kat," he says. "What are your resolutions this year?"

"I don't know. I never stick to them anyway."

"Me neither," Peeta laughs. "Let's make that our tradition."

"A tradition of not committing to resolutions?" Katniss asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Why not?"

Katniss is sure that Peeta's fallen asleep just half an hour later. They've been lying side by side under the dim light of her lamp for a good ten minutes now and he hasn't said anything or moved. She tilts her head to look away from the TV screen at up at him to check and finds that he's watching her.

"What?" she asks, touching her face self-consciously.

"I lied. I do have a resolution," Peeta says gently, his eyes dark, his face illuminated perfectly. Katniss smiles at him.

"Breaking our tradition already?" she asks.

"I guess so," he mumbles.

"What is then?"

"Well, when I was at Delly's," Peeta begins, shifting slightly against the headboard of her bed. "When it was the countdown and I was on the phone with you… I missed you."

"I missed you too," Katniss says. The room is quiet and she wonders if he can hear the rapid beating of her heart.

"Because I know you were sort of there because you were counting down through the phone and stuff… but when the clock turned to midnight everyone was laughing and cheering and shouting-"

"I know you were. You nearly deafened me." Katniss comments.

"And toasting the New Year and then Delly kissed Thom and Gale kissed Madge and everyone was hugging and laughing… and…" Peeta pauses and clears his throat. "And I - I wish I could have kissed you at midnight."

Katniss freezes. _What. WHAT. _

_I wish I could have kissed you at midnight._

_I wish I could have kissed you at midnight._

_I wish I could have kissed you at midnight._

No matter how many times she repeats his words in her head, she still can't understand them. Her heart flutters. Her brain feels like it's going to explode. She wouldn't be surprised if she just spontaneously combusted right there and then.

"How drunk are you?" she jokes nervously. "I don't think you had just three cups at Delly's Peeta… I think you-"

"Katniss, stop talking," Peeta says, and the way he rolls his eyes suggests that he's tired with how she's acting.

"What do you mean stop talking?" Katniss says, sitting up and staring at him.

"I mean, stop thinking." Peeta says, before he leans in and kisses her. She isn't prepared for the feeling of his lips on hers and lets out a squeak as he pulls her closer. She balls her hands into fists until he pulls away.

"Happy New Year, Katniss," he says, resting his forehead against hers. Katniss licks her lips, the taste of him still lingering.

"You already said that to me," she says. Peeta smiles.

"I know I did," he laughs, kissing her again. "But I wasn't as happy as I am now."


End file.
